1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the safe disposal of xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d in a healthcare, hospital or clinical environment and more particularly, to a disposable carrier for containing the xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d and to be transported in a pneumatic tube system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pneumatic tube systems, per se, are quite old. They have been used in department stores, banks and many other installations. The use of these systems in department stores and banks is primarily for movement of currency, deposit slips, sales slips and related commercial transactions. The pneumatic tubes are for two-way traffic between the stations. In a bank, the tubes may be between a drive-in station and a teller in the bank. In a department store, the tubes may be between several different departments and a cashier or accounting office. The pneumatic tube systems used in hospitals are not single use but, rather, are xe2x80x9cglobalxe2x80x9d usually having a keypad or its equivalent so that the sender can select the destination of the carrier, such as the cashier, pharmacy, pathology lab, etc. Moreover, the carrier (receptacle or container) does not carry any biohazardous or hazardous product, such as xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d. Examples of xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d are a used scalpel blade, needle or syringe. Hence, the carrier is reusable and not permanently sealed.
Disposal of xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d is a pressing problem for the medical community because of the enormous volume of these potentially fatal items. Present practice is for the xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d to be placed in containers which are strategically located throughout a hospital or clinical environment. These could be emergency rooms, operating rooms, intensive care units, phlebotomy units, nurses stations and any other location where needles and/or scalpels may be used Typically, the containers have a non-removable lid which has a one-way opening into which the xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d are introduced. When the container has been filled to a premarked level, the container is placed at a central point such as a nurses station in the hospital. A plurality of filled containers accumulate and are collected on a periodic basis for disposal as hazardous waste. The filled containers are subject to removal by unauthorized persons and could be a source of serious infections.
The applicant is aware of the following U.S. patents related to pneumatic tube systems and xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d disposal.:
Tokuhiro et al U.S. Pat. No. (4,995,765) teach a sanitary waste collection system and method for disposal. A hospital is disclosed as being a site at which the waste collection system is to be used. Tubes are used in the collection system. Substances can be conveyed in the tube by supplying air or vacuum to the tube. A rather sophisticated computer system is disclosed.
Lang U.S. Pat. No. (5,234,292) shows a pneumatic tube conveyor system. The conveyor system can be used in hospitals for distributing small-size articles such as medicines.
Withers et al U.S. Pat. No. (5,385,105) teach a xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d disposal container of a small cylindrical size. Withers et al does not disclose use with a pneumatic tube.
Sharp U.S. Pat. No. (6,283,909) teaches a xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d disposal container. This reference is cited only as background material. No pneumatic system is taught by the reference.
The more efficient and rapid way of delivering xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d to disposal area would be, obviously, by means of pneumatic tube system. Unfortunately, transporting xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d through existing (conventional) pneumatic tube system is unpractical because (a) sending xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d in standard multipurpose-multi-use carrier does not eliminate a possibility of injury, when a nurse or any other operator would open the carrier; (b) sending xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d in special single-use disposable carrier along with regular carriers inevitably would bring confusion and mistakes such as attempts to send things other than xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d in a single-use container, attempts to dispose the contents of a standard carrier in a waste bin, attempts to open the single-use carrier and so on.
There is a need for a dedicated single purpose pneumatic tube system in a healthcare, hospital or similar environment which has a disposable carrier dedicated to carrying potentially biohazardous or hazardous xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d from multiple sources to a single destination.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method having a dedicated pneumatic tube system for transport of hazardous material in a disposable carrier from multiple sending points to a single destination.
It is a further object of the present invention to reduce the possibility of injuries and contraction of disease due to exposure to xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a rapid, dedicated, safe pneumatic tube system from areas within a healthcare framework to a safe disposal area without manual personnel intervention.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a disposable carrier for hazardous materials which may be used in a pneumatic tube system.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed the method of disposing of biohazardous and/or hazardous xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d in a healthcare, hospital or clinical environment. A dedicated single-purpose pneumatic tube system and a disposable carrier are provided. A used xe2x80x9csharpxe2x80x9d is inserted into the disposable carrier. The disposable carrier is closed so that the disposable carrier is sealed. The sealed disposable carrier, with the used xe2x80x9csharpxe2x80x9d therein, is inserted into the dedicated single-purpose pneumatic tube system, such that the system recognizes the disposable carrier and is activated to move the disposable carrier through the system for ultimate disposal and/or destruction of the disposable carrier, and such that any other type of carrier will not activate the system.
In further accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed a method of disposing of biohazardous and/or hazardous xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d in a healthcare, hospital or clinical environment. A dedicated single-purpose pneumatic tube system is provided having a plurality of loading stations and a single destination station. A plurality of disposable carriers are provided, each carrier having an identification means. A pneumatic tube system control unit is provided activated by the identification means on each of the disposable carriers. An operator inserts xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d in a selected one of the disposable carriers, seals said disposable carrier and introduces said disposable carrier into the pneumatic tube system at any loading station. The pneumatic tube system transports the disposable carrier containing the sharps to the destination station without any operator action.
Additionally, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention there is disclosed the method of disposing of biohazardous and/or hazardous xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d in a healthcare, hospital or clinical environment. A dedicated single-purpose pneumatic tube system is provided having a plurality of loading stations and a single destination station. A plurality of disposable carriers are provided, each carrier having an individual identification code. A pneumatic tube system control unit is provided. A code control unit is provided electronically connected to the pneumatic tube system. Sharps are inserted in the disposable carrier. The disposable carrier containing the sharps is placed in one of the loading stations. The code control unit recognizes the individual identification code on each disposable carrier and the code control unit activates the pneumatic tube system. The pneumatic tube system transports the disposable carrier containing the sharps to the destination station without any operator action.
In still further accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed a disposable carrier to be used in combination with a pneumatic tube system having a plurality of loading stations and a single destination station in a hospital or clinical environment. The disposable carrier has a cylindrical container having an open top end and an opposite closed bottom end. A cover is sealably received on the open top end of the cylindrical container to retain contents of the cylindrical container therein. A marker is formed on the cylindrical container, the marker having therein coded information to identify the disposable carrier and to activate a sensor in the pneumatic tube system. Biohazardous and/or hazardous material is received in the disposable carrier and transported through the pneumatic tube system from any one of the plurality of loading stations to the destination station.